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Citizens’ dissatisfaction with current policymaking is growing, including in Germany. Due
to the steady focus on problem-solving, politics is moving further away from citizens’
needs. Therefore, traditional methods can no longer address the increasing complexity
of political and societal problems. To counteract, Policy Design is introduced to enable
policymakers to better deal with complex issues using designerly mindsets. This seeks
to achieve more effective and human-centred policy outcomes.
The thesis aims to integrate design approaches into policymaking, more specifically into
the traditional Policy Cycle, in order to develop policies based on people’s needs.
Therefore, the following research question is addressed within the scope of the study:
Which design-specific measures must be integrated into the traditional Policy
Cycle to ensure effectiveness in policymaking to develop thoughtful and humancentred
policies?
To address the research question, the core aspects of policymaking are clarified through
scientific research, such as the traditional Policy Cycle and Policy Design. This formed
the basis for further research using the Delphi method. In the next step, qualitative
interviews are presented to identify criticism of the current policymaking process and
optimisation proposals. For this purpose, eleven international experts from diverse
domains were interviewed, reaching from the political to the design field. Finally, three
points of criticism regarding the traditional Policy Cycle are revealed through an
evaluation of the scientific research and expert interviews:
1. Policymaking as an isolated, linear, and top-down approach.
2. The gap between policy formulation and policy implementation.
3. The lack of active participation in policymaking.
To counteract these points of criticism, the thesis proposes a redesign of the traditional
Policy Cycle, moving toward more human-centredness. The developed new process,
therefore, is guided by the Double Diamond, which exploits vital advantages of Design
Thinking. In addition to the redesigned process, a map is established, showing the
current and preferred state of participation in policymaking. Both attempts clarify the
potential that design can unfold in policymaking.
On December 9, 2020, we continued the discussion on the future of higher education during the virtual open symposium “Higher Education 2030”. The focus was on drivers and effects of longer-term change with respect to (1) teaching and didactics, (2) institutions in the higher education value creation network as well as (3) national education systems and international schemes (including the interrelations of these three levels).
In the resulting publication, we highlight the results of this discussion of distinguished guests from industry and academia from Europe and beyond. One of the key questions for incumbent as well as new institutions in higher education – whether private or public – is, how to prepare for the dynamically evolving times ahead. The symposium concluded that managing higher education cannot continue unchanged.
Therefore, we embarked next on the topic of “From Future Skills in Higher Education to the Future Skills of Higher Education Managers.” For an initial workshop on May 14, 2021, we reached out to experts from different world regions as well as higher education providers.
The aim was to outline the challenges and the necessary competencies as well as the knowledge and methodologies needed to succeed in the changing context of higher education. The results will address an urgent and important need of preparing for a future – even more uncertain in these times of the COVID-19 pandemic, that was also touched upon as a driver itself and an accelerator to other trends respectively.
Based on the ideas collected in the workshop, the initiative “Higher Education 2030” shall continue working on further publications. In addition, it shall also inform the preparation of master level certificates that eventually lead to an International Higher Education MBA.
“Higher education” will henceforth also be abbreviated as “HE”.
Die vorliegende Masterarbeit befasst sich mit dem Einfluss von mobilen Augmented Reality (AR) Anwendungen auf das Markenerlebnis von Modemarken. Hierbei soll heraus-gefunden werden, wie dieses durch die tatsächliche Nutzung einer AR App beeinflusst wird. Als Grundlage hierfür wurden verschiedene Dimensionen eines Markenerlebnisses herausgearbeitet, von denen erwartet wird, dass sie einen Einfluss auf das Erlebnis der Marke von Kunden haben. Zusätzlich gilt es zu untersuchen, ob ein positives Markenerlebnis, welches durch mobile AR hervorgerufen wurde, Einfluss auf die Kaufabsicht so-wie die Markenverbundenheit von Kunden hat.
Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, die zuvor beschriebene Fragestellung mit Hilfe einer experimentellen Versuchsanordnung zu testen. Für diese Untersuchung wurde eine Online-Befragung mit insgesamt 181 Teilnehmern, aufgeteilt in eine Experimentalgruppe (mit AR) sowie eine Kontrollgruppe (ohne AR), durchgeführt. Die empirische Studie konnte signifikante Unterschiede zwischen den beiden Stichproben hinsichtlich des Markenerlebnisses aufweisen. Die Versuchspersonen unter Verwendung der AR App zeigten ein positiveres Markenerlebnis. Eine weitere wichtige Implikation dieser Masterarbeit stellt der gefundene positive Zusammenhang zwischen dem durch die mobile AR App stimuliert Markenerlebnis auf die Kaufabsicht und die Markenverbundenheit der Konsumenten dar.
The concept of contemporary developments in the clothing e-commerce sector with respect to the use of gamification as an instrument to increase customer loyalty in highly competitive times is to be analyzed and assessed in further depth within this bachelor thesis. With the use of game elements in a non-gaming context, the method of gamification is currently being discussed as a universal mean of process optimization. By using the German e-commerce market in the segment of fashion for further references, this paper stresses how gamification may have a positive impact on customer loyalty within the online clothing sector.
Within this assessment, it is emphasized that games, which are reportedly gaining prominence, have an increasingly strong influence on individuals when implemented as a gamified application and leading individuals to feel more attached to a brand or company. This leads to the examination of the theoretical motivation observation of gamification, as well as the examination of one’s motivation to play. Various levels of loyalty are discussed and the extent to which customer loyalty plays a more important role to companies than the acquisition of new customers is addressed.
With the help of a conducted online survey, further information about people’s receptiveness towards gamified applications and incentives is retrieved and thus delivers proof that gamified applications influence buying behaviour but only if financial incentives are involved. Moreover, it shows that more effort needs to be invested in familiarizing people with gamification before actually realizing applications due to a lack of awareness. Finally, the research findings result in the assessment whether gamified applications can be seen as unnecessary.
Abstract
The primary purpose of this bachelor’s thesis is to identify and understand organisational management challenges in digital media startups. The Growing Pains approach established by Flamholtz is used as foundational framework. The model provides thorough insights on analysing organisational management problems during rapid growth. Hence, this study aims at examining the applicability of the Growing Pains to digital media startups.
In general, Growing Pains are symptoms indicating that an organisation's infrastructure is developed insufficiently to face challenges in growth phases. Therefore, they commonly occur when a company is transitioning from startup to established corporation. The first part of the paper gives an overview of the current research status on Growing Pains and related studies about digital media startups. Besides, an empirical study was conducted. Six interviews (one manager and one employee each from three digital media startups) were compared with a qualitative content analysis to determine common organisational challenges. In addition, every interviewee responded to a 5-point Likert scale Growing Pains survey.
This hybrid method establishes seven areas in which organisational management problems occur: human resources, project management, communication, management monitoring, finance, business development and corporate culture. It is found that most issues arise in human resources, project management and communication. Throughout the thesis, it remains uncontested that these issues are related to the integration and effectiveness of management controls systems. Furthermore, a relevant disparity between employees’ and managements' responses is illustrated, implying an aggravation of organisational issues.
In conclusion, the results suggested that the original Growing Pains target areas are that inaccurate and do not fully represent the organisational management issues in digital media startups. Therefore, a Growing Pains modification for better applicability on digital media startups is proposed, which considers the suitable distribution of each problematic area. Respectively, it is suggested that the management of fast growing digital media startups is well advised to focus on functioning knowledge management and management monitoring as well as employee turnover and leadership recruitment.
The purpose of this Bachelor's thesis is to investigate whether or not the potential success of fantasy novels can be scientifically predetermined. In order to validate this hypothesis general literature research about the book market is done. This provides key insights about the definitions of success and the qualities of a good book. Furthermore, personal empirical research is conducted in an attempt to verify the hypothesis. Expert interviews with established publishers lead to understandings about the publishing industry and its possibilities and limitations. An additional survey among readers provides supplementary insights about the consumers point of view.
After extensive literature and exhaustive empirical research, the hypothesis has to be rejected. The findings indicate the possibility of anticipating the potential success of a newly published fantasy novel. They are unable, however, to provide a scientifically reproducible method in order to predetermine the potential success.
The thesis concludes with a provocative, philosophical thought. This thought questions the value of standardising an un-unifiable factor, such as creativity, for economic purposes. This value is being compared to the value of non-conformity, which is considered to be the essence of all creative goods. Therefore the potential sacrifice of creative value stands opposed to the common desire for economical exploitation.
Generation Y is not only a very popular target group among commercial marketers but also for non-governmental organisations as they try to develop a relationship at an early stage. This thesis examines the extent to which non-governmental communication fits Generation Y's demand. For this purpose, the Welthungerhilfe is chosen as an exemplary non-governmental organisation based upon which to conduct the analysis. A secondary literature review as well as an online survey among Generation Y members are conducted to verify or reject the hypothesis that the Welthungerhilfe needs to adapt their communication strategy and measures to fit Generation Y's needs.
Based upon the existing research status of Generation Y's media consumption as well as studies stating how non-governmental organisations should approach this generation, a narrowing towards the Welthungerhilfe's three most relevant communication categories is applied, namely advertising, social media activities and events. The con-ducted analysis of the Welthungerhilfe's communication as well as a competitor analysis concludes that the Welthungerhilfe as well as the seven main competitors are already present in media environments where Generation Y is active. Nevertheless, the survey shows that the actual Welthungerhilfe communication measurements are only poorly to moderately appealing to Generation Y. Besides, the findings from the analysis based upon secondary sources as well as the survey are finally assessed according to the public relations theory developed by Grunig and Hunt in 1984. By applying this theory it becomes clear that the Welthungerhilfe communication does not comply with what Generation Y demands.
Therefore, it is concluded in this thesis that despite the good basis, the hypothesis stating that the Welthungerhilfe needs to adapt their communication to fit Generation Y's needs is verified.
The fitness studio industry in Germany is a growing market, offering a density of loca-tions to members and potential members. The presented scientific paper examines the setup and development of German fitness studios and reviews whether it is contempo-rary, according to the progress of technology and customer preferences.
This paper hypothesizes that the setup of the fitness industry is contemporary and meets the needs of the people in modern day Germany. In order to test the hypothesis, first, relevant secondary literature sources available on this topic, are reviewed and reported. Second, an online survey is conducted to answer the hypothesis from the potential customer’s perspective and scrutinize whether there is a need for change within the German fitness industry.
Based on the reviewed secondary literature, it is exposed that the different aspects, upon which fitness studios compete, seem to be stagnating since the beginning of the development of the modern fitness studio surrounding. Examples of the current setup are chosen and elaborated in depth, concerning the offerings of individual fitness stu-dio chains. The history of the development of knowledge and interest in sports and the fitness environment is investigated in a previous point of this paper.
For the cause of receiving first hand statements and insights of a test group, which stands representable for the rest of the German people, the questionnaire is construct-ed and placed on an online media channel. The main findings of the survey are the following: 1. A large number of participants visit or are members of fitness studios in Germany. 2. Depending on the frequency of physical exercising, the mostly young par-ticipants are willing to pay a certain amount per visit. 3. The majority of the test group has a wish for more flexibility in the fitness studio environment.
In the conclusion of this research paper the hypothesis is rejected. The decisive analy-sis concludes that the system of the fitness studio industry is growing, but no innova-tions are included to provide a contemporary user experience to the German sports people. As a final step, examples for minor changes in the system, with a possible ma-jor outcome for the industry as well as the person active in sports, are given as a future outlook.
Within the framework of a bachelor thesis, the requirements for a market-entry got analysed, regarding the programmable textile Lumalive from Royal Philps. As a potential target market, the advertising industry got chosen. Moreover, the Lumalive fabric is to be implemented into the out-of-home environment as a digital screening surface on which advertisement can be placed in future. Due to Lumalive´s conformable texture, an installation into public furniture is feasible and it is an essential part for the implementation into the public limited environment of restaurants.
This approach got established to launch a market re-entry, hence the technology already got exploited in the years 2007-2008, which resulted in a market failure.
The knowledge that was needed for the development of this implementation approach got retrieved from three qualitative expert interviews. Next to the literature that was used in this paper, these interviews devised the requirements which would be essential to achieve the market-entry. The statements of each participant from the gastronomy, the advertising industry and the technology industry, have been treated as the representing statements of the whole industry, which they are presenting.
Within a comparison between Lumalive textile and an imprinted banner textile, it got reviled, that the LED technology of Lumalive outperforms imprinted ad-tools in terms of costs. Furthermore, Lumalive disposes qualitative characteristics, like the multiple usability which enables the cost per square metre to decrease. The thesis also elaborates on the fact, that a relaunch of production would need to consider an increase of Lumalive´s display resolution.
These cost factors and quality factors were taken into account in the establishment of the implementation approach. Herby, the type of advertisement plays an important role when placing product communication at places which are hubs for interpersonal communication. It got concluded that implicit advertisement could become they type of ad, that can be displayed on Lumalive installed in a parasol.
With this implementation approach and Lumalive´s ability to outperform imprinted OOH media in terms of costs and quality, a possible market entry for the LED textile became realisable.
This bachelor thesis elaborates on how a high fashion brand can transfer its brand val-ues into the online marketing environment. After presenting foundational basics accord-ing to current scientific literature, own empirical research was conducted via two expert interviews. Through the expert interviews, essential knowledge of all relevant topic are-as – advertising, branding, high fashion and online marketing – has been gained and in the end been clustered and summarised to form requirements for a successful brand val-ue transfer concept. The traditional marketing mix of the four Ps has been the basis for the concept, resulting in providing insights and learnings in the fields of product policy, distribution policy, price policy and communication policy. The brand value transfer concept provides strategic background and ideas as well as practical, scientifically-based action approaches for high fashion brands entering the online environment. At the end of the thesis, the concept is evaluated critically and future assumptions on the dis-cussed topics are presented.